1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved tool tray apparatus for use with a utility truck having an extendable arm with a bucket disposed at the end thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to a tool tray apparatus having an interior sidewall surface, and illumination means integral with the interior sidewall surface.
2. Discussion of the Background
Utility linemen are often called upon to work high above ground from a "bucket truck" type utility vehicle having a bucket disposed at the end of an extendable hydraulically driven arm. Many times, a utility lineman must perform various work duties high above ground at night time, under severe weather conditions, and/or in other poorly lighted hazardous environments. These severe weather conditions include thunder, lightening, rain, sleet, snow, heavy winds, etc. which at night time make for especially hazardous work environments. A need exists to provide a simple efficient means to improve lighting conditions within poorly lighted work environments to reduce the hazards of working under such conditions so that a utility lineman may work more safely, and efficiently perform various work duties.
Known tool tray apparatus designed for use by electrical utility linemen are made of a dielectric material, such as fiber glass, in order to reduce to possibility of providing a path to ground should the bucket be struck by lightning or make contact with any other high voltage source. They are generally box-shaped having an open top with tools lying loose on the bottom of the tray. Known tool trays are made in various sizes to accommodate different sizes and numbers of tools and can be made in various shapes to accommodate the curved sidewall shapes of various style buckets. For example, a small tray may have dimensions of approximately six inches wide, eighteen inches long, and eight inches deep. Larger trays can be made with dimensions as large as can be accommodated by the particular bucket with which they will be utilized. FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a known prior art tool tray apparatus 10, with an attachment element 11, for securing the tool tray apparatus to the bucket of a bucket truck. FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of the known prior art tool tray apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 illustrates a rear view of the known tool tray apparatus of FIG. 1, with a spacer element 12, for stabilizing the tool tray apparatus against the side of the bucket. FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the known tool tray apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 shows the extended hydraulic arm of a utility vehicle with a bucket indicating how a tool tray attaches to the bucket. The dotted cutout portion of FIG. 5 shows how the attachment element 11 hooks securely around the top edge of the bucket, and the spacer element 12 spaces the bottom the tool tray from the exterior side wall of the bucket to keep the tray vertical. The attached element is positioned using a bolt and nut arrangement with an adjustment slot so that the tray may be tightened against the bucket side wall.
The common practice of many utility lineman working with currently available tools, and techniques includes the practice of placing a flashlight within the interior tool storage area of the tray. This reduces the volume of the tray storage space available for other tools. Additionally, linemen sometimes wear a lighted miner type helmet. Such helmets can be blown or knocked off the linemen's head by wind, tree limbs, etc. Further, utility linemen often use brilliant ground lights, commonly referred to as phoenix lights, to illuminate the bucket and the work area surrounding the bucket from beneath. Battery powered aerial safety lights which can be hooked over the top of the bucket sidewall are also known.
A problem exists because any source of light which shines beneath an extended bucket with a tool tray apparatus disposed thereon forms shadows which can make seeing into the interior of the tool tray and the contents thereof difficult or impossible for a utility linemen working from within the bucket. A need exists to provide means to simply and efficiently illuminate the interior of the tool storage area of a tool tray and the work area surrounding the tool tray so as to eliminate visibility problems related to shadowing within the interior of the tool tray storage area and to additionally illuminate the area surrounding the tool tray apparatus.